Document stacker



March 28, 1961 R. E. EDMINSTER DOCUMENT STACKER Filed June 4, 1957 FIG. I

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT E. EDMINSTER ATTORNEY March 28, 1961 R. E. EDMINSTER 2,977,116

DOCUMENT STACKER Filed June 4, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V 1 wing R. E. EDMINSTER DOCUMENT STACKER March 28, 1961 Filed June 4, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 nu 6E DOCUMENT STACKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 4, 1957 Nmw Nmw mmw Nmw 2,977,116 DOCUMENT STACKER Robert E. Edrninster, St. Petersburg, Fla., assignor to.

International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 4, 1957, Ser. No. 663,423

1 Claim. (Cl. 271-88) This invention relates-to a document stacker and more particularly a stacker-in which the document is inverted and rotated ninety degrees from the direction of entry.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved document stacker.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stacker which inverts and rotates each document.

A further object of this invention is to provide a stacker which stacks documents in the same order in which they are fed.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a stacker pocket taken along the line 1-1 in Fig. 2b.

Figs. 2a and 2b together form a front elevation of a machine including portions of several stacker pockets.

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken along the lines 3-3 in Fig. 2b.

The subject document stacker is shown and described in US. patent application Serial No. 631,925, filed December 31, 1956, on behalf of the instant applicant and others. Figs. 1, 2a, 2b and 3 correspond to Figs. 22, 1a, 1b and 23 respectively of the above cited application and corresponding reference numbers are used there and herein.

Only as much of the machine as is necessary to the chute blades 612, Fig. 3, whereby the check is directed to a particular one of twelve pockets 36 associated with the particular chute blade. 'If none of the chute blades is selected, the check moves over the top of all chute blades and enters the thirteenth pocket 36-Reject.

Referring to Fig. 2a, the chute blade selecting mechanism, generally designated 32, is operated in the manner described in the'hereinbefore cited application to feed a check under a selected chute blade 612.

Check stacker Referring to Figs. 2a and 2b, when a check is fed past the selector unit 32 and under a selected chute blade 612, it advances toward the stacker pockets, designated from left to right in Fig. 2b as.369, 36-8, 36-7, 36-6, 36-5, 36-4, 36-3, 36-2, 36-1, 36-0, 36-SS (Short Suppress), 36-MCS (Multiple Column Selection) and 36-Reject, to be directed into a particular pocket corresponding to the particular chute blade 612-9, 612-8, 612-7, 612-6, 612-5, 612-4, v612-3, 612-2, 612-1, .612-0, '612-SS, 6l2-MCS which was selected. Fig. 1 shows a sectional side elevation of the stacker unit, whereas Fig. 3 shows a plan view with successive portions broken away as you progress to the right. Referring to Fig. 2a, a plate 690 extends from the drum unit 30 past the selection unit 32 and terminates, in Fig. 2b, in a turned down portion 690a in the first pocket 36-9, which aids in rotating a check 90 as well as inventing the check, whereby the check is deposited on a platform 692. The succeeding pockets have members 691 similar to the turned down end 690a of the member 690 which are fixed to a frame member understanding of the document stacker is shown and de- 31) to the stacker unit 34, Fig. 2b. A drive pulley 583,

Fig. 2a, is fixed to the shaft 166. Fifteen idler pulleys 584, Figs. 2a and 2b, are horizontally aligned with the driven pulley 583 and rotatably mounted on studs 586 fixed in the base plate 10. A flattransport belt 588 is mounted onthe driven pulley 583 and the idler pulleys and bolts 598'to members 690a and 691, shownin Figs.

1 and 3. A member 599 in Fig. 2a, extends into Fig.'2b, where it comprises only the lower flange 599a. Two

rollers 600, Fig. 2a, mounted on brackets 601 fixed toca bar 602' which is mounted on the frame of the machine, are adjustable by mounting screws 603 to take up any slack which may exist in the belt 588. A roller 604, Fig.

, 2b, biased by a spring 605 is mounted in contact the belt 588 to provide proper tension. 7 a A check fed under the belt 588 from the belt 571,

I Fig. 2a, is advanced under a' particular oneof twelve 1 693 by nuts and bolts 694 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The plate 690, shown in Fig. 2a, has a turned down flange which adds strength to the plate and has holes, not shown in Fig. 2a, through which the rollers 590 project to aid the belt 588 in transporting the checks. As described hereirrbefore, the member 599 shown in Fig. 2a has an I-section for added strength which is reduced to the lower crossbar of the I-section as it progresses to the right as shown in the sectional view, Fig. 1, where the reduced section is designated 599a. A ctu'ved guide member 695, best seen in Figs. 1 and 3, is mounted by means of brackets 696 and 698 to the base plate 10. Each chute blade 612, has a bifurcated end comprising a portion 612a and a portion 6121;, Fig. 3. The portion 612b of each chute blade 612 is inserted through a hole 700 in the associated guide member 691. As a check is advanced toward the stacker pockets 36, the rear edge of the check is beneath a selected chute blade 612 which terminates at the pocket to which a check is being directed.

pockets after the first pocket, between members 691 and 695. The check is curved downwardly by action of the members 690a691 and 695 and toward the front of the machine whereby it is inverted and rotated and is depositedon the platform 692. As shown inFig. 3, each member 691 contains a pair of holes 706 through which the pressure rollers 590 cooperate with the belt 588 to transport the checks. j 1

in the position indicated as 1710a.

is sufficiently in contact with the lever .710 to maintain it I While there have been shown and'described and V 7 pointed outthe fundamental novel features of the invew' 'As the check reaches the pocket, the leading edge is deflected by the end 612 ofthe chute blade into an opening between the members 699a and 695 or, in

tion as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claim What is claimed. is:

Apparatus for receiving and stacking horizontally traveling horizontally positioned documents, comprising means forming a receptacle having vertical sides positioned below and extending substantially transversely to the direction of said horizontal travel, means for deflecting the leading edge of a said horizontally traveling document downwardly and into. said receptacle, a twisted curved plate positioned to receive a said downwardly defiected leading edge of a traveling document and directing said leading edge first downwardly and thereafter horizontally into said receptacle substantially transversely of said first mentioned direction'of horizontal travel, said document being inverted during travel into said receptacle, a vertically movable platform in said receptacle for receiving documents, successive documents being directed into said receptacle to form a stack, servo-responsive support means for said platform, a pivotally mounted lever movable Within a predefined range and having an operating end positioned adjacent said platform and an uppermost document of said stack for actuation by said documents, the degree of actuation being dependent upon the number of documents in said stack and the relative position of said platform with respect to said lever, and servo means actuated in response to the movement of said lever through a preselected portion of said predefined range for operating said support means to maintain said uppermost document of said stack at a desired constant level with respect to said deflecting means and said curved plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,063,993 McNamara June 10, 1913 1,541,651 Matlock Jan. 9, 1925 1,831,245 Hitchcock Nov. 10, 1931 2,668,483 Sykes Feb. 9, 1954 2,868,115 Gollwitzer Jan. 13, 19.59

V FOREIGN PATENTS 1,102,626 France May 11, 1955 

